Artur Lekbello (footballer, born 1958)

Last updated

Artur Lekbello
Personal information
Full name Artur Shkëlqim Lekbello
Date of birth (1958-01-25) 25 January 1958 (age 66)
Place of birth Lezhë, Albania
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1974–1978 Partizani Tirana
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1978–1984 Partizani
1984–1986 17 Nëntori
1986–1987 Flamurtari
1987–1988 Lokomotiva Durrës 33 (0)
1988–1990 17 Nëntori
1990–1991 Lokomotiva Durrës 7 (0)
1991–1992 Partizani
International career
1987 Albania 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Artur Lekbello (born 25 January 1958) is an Albanian retired footballer, who played as a goalkeeper.

Contents

Club career

Lekbello came into football during his school years in Durrës and when he joined the army's tank brigade in 1975 he became reserve goalkeeper at army team Partizani Tirana alongside Perlat Musta. During the communist era it was not common for players to change clubs but Lekbello returned to his hometown to play for Lokomotiva Durrës in 1985, only to be ordered by the football federation to join Flamurtari to play in the 1986 UEFA Cup against FC Barcelona after their first goalkeeper Luan Birçe was not allowed to travel and young reserve Anesti Arapi was deemed too inexperienced. [1] Lekbello became an instant hero as Flamurtari was only beaten on away goals by the Spanish giants. He returned to Lokomotiva and was suddenly lured back, somewhat overweight, to join Partizani when Musta left for Romania in 1991.

Cult hero status

He became something of a cult hero again at Feyenoord when he kept the Rotterdam club at bay for a long period in a 1991–92 European Cup Winners' Cup game, only to concede a late goal to lose and for Partizani to go out 0–1 on aggregate. [2]

International career

He made his debut for Albania in an October 1987 European Championship qualification match against Romania and earned his second and final cap against Spain in the same year. [3]

Personal life

Lekbello has two daughters and has been working for the Civil Emergency Office in Durrës County after his football career. He had also coached youth teams at Teuta. [1] In 2016 he was goalkeeper coach with the Albania U19s. [4]

Honours

1979, 1981, 1985, 1989 [5]
1980, 1986 [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FK Partizani Tirana</span> Albanian football club

Futboll Klub Partizani is an Albanian professional football club based in Tirana, that competes in the Kategoria Superiore. Founded in 1946, the club was historically affiliated to the Albanian army. Partizani's home ground is the newly built stadium at Partizani Complex. The club also uses Arena Kombëtare also known as Air Albania stadium for matches in European competitions and major domestic football derbies in Albania.

Sokol Kushta is an Albanian retired football player, who was arguably one of his country's best players in the latter half of the 1980s and the early 1990s and one of the first to be allowed by the communist party to play abroad.

Alban Tafaj is an Albanian former professional football manager and retired player. He played for both Albanian city rivals Partizani Tirana and Tirana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elis Bakaj</span> Albanian footballer

Elis Flamur Bakaj is an Albanian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or a forward.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Entonio Pashaj</span> Albanian professional footballer (born 1984)

Entonio Pashaj is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for KFC Eppegem. Apart his natural position, Pashaj can also be deployed as right full-back or even as a defensive midfielder.

Gugash Magani is an Albanian football coach and a former player who is the manager of Lushnja.

Nderim Nexhipi is a Macedonian football player of Albanian ethnicity now retired from football and working as a sports director at the current Champions of Kosovo FC Ballkani in the Kosovo Superliga. After a 17 years of professional football and more than 300 games in some different countries of Europe he decided to stop with his football activity. From Sloga Jugomagnat to Hertha BSC -- Wolfsburg, from Rabotnicki to Lierse, From Lierse to Qarabag he had some great teams during his career. He also holds Albanian citizenship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shpëtim Moçka</span> Albanian footballer

Shpëtim Moçka is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gerhard Progni</span> Albanian footballer

Gerhard Nik Progni is an Albanian professional footballer plays as a striker for Valbona.

Refik Shaban Resmja was an Albanian professional footballer.

Arbër Abilaliaj is an Albanian football coach and a former player who played as a forward.

Perlat Musta is an Albanian former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He has been considered by many pundits in Albania as one of the greatest goalkeepers in Albania. In December 2018 he was honoured for his services to Albanian football, alongside Edvin Murati and Qamil Teliti.

Bruno Telushi is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for AF Elbasani.

The 2012–13 season was Klubi i Futbollit Tirana's 74th competitive season, 74th consecutive season in the Kategoria Superiore and 92nd year in existence as a football club. Following the title win four seasons ago, KF Tirana added to their 23 titles to make it their record 24th title win. KF Tirana played UEFA Europa League against CS Grevenmacher and Aalesunds FK.

Safet Berisha was an Albanian football player who played for Lokomotiva Durrës and Partizani Tirana as well as the Albania national team, where he earned 20 senior caps.

The 2014–15 KF Tirana season was the 94th year in Klubi i Futbollit Tirana existence and 76th competitive and consecutive season in the Kategoria Superiore.

Astrit Fazliu is a Kosovan professional footballer who plays as a winger for Kosovan club Vjosa.

Haxhi Ballgjini is a former Albanian footballer who played for Dinamo Tirana, Partizani Tirana, Vllaznia Shkodër and Partizani Tirana and Lokomotiva Durrës, as well as the Albania national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of KF Tirana</span>

KF Tirana is an Albanian men's football club in the Albanian Superliga, and based in Tirana. The club, part of the multidisciplinary sports club SK Tirana, is the most successful in Albania, having won 51 recognized major domestic titles. They play their home games at the Selman Stërmasi Stadium in Tirana.

Anesti Arapi is an Albanian retired footballer, who played the majority of his career as a goalkeeper for Flamurtari Vlorë. He also played for the Albania national team.

References

  1. 1 2 Artur Lekbello, oficeri i Brigadës së Tankeve që ndali Barcelonën - Panorama (in Albanian)
  2. ↑ Feyenoorders hebben veel moeite met muur van Partizan; Monsterzeges steeds zeldzamer - NRC (in Dutch)
  3. ↑ "Player Database".
  4. ↑ Artur Lekbello: Kjo kombëtare e ka rrugën të hapur për në kupën e Botës - Durrës Lajm (in Albanian)
  5. ↑ Albania - Championship Winning Teams - RSSSF
  6. ↑ Artur Lekbello: Për luftën sportive, ky është Kampionati më i bukur - Telegraf (in Albanian)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.